Thursday, 20 January 2011

RECOMMENDED: Surf Kill

Anyone who’s followed Belgian producer Dynooo, either through his music or though his social networking, will know that there’s a strong aesthetic that runs through him. Posting as many animated gifs as he does snapshots of 70s style home living, there’s a strong sense of looking back to create his art. Its homespun and always rich in colour; take the artwork for his Gum Dragon EP - which caught out ear back in April - it’s an almost symmetrical collage built out of patterns, textures and photographs of forests that invites your eye in further with its layered sense of depth.

A few months back we got wind of a new label project Dynooo set up with a crew of likeminded people. Called Surf Kill, it came to life with a split single from Dynooo and Cupp Cave, a fellow Belgian producer whose tracks on Dynooo’s SR mix stood out masterfully. Delightfully messy, it was awesome; full as much of stumbling drums and synthesized swirls as boogie and funk it was a tight statement of intent - in keeping with what the world knew of their music. Surf Kill 002 however, was a handmade monochrome zine crafted by Dynooo. Only 50 were made.

“Surf Kill is a label me and some friends started,” Dynooo told us after we got all excited when he brought word of new projects and started hassling him on email. “I guess you could say we offer an alternative approach to music and presenting it: we print and design our own cover art, put out zines and create visuals filmed with VHS cams. DIY has always been the ideology.”

“As far as genres, there's nothing we won't do, he continues. “The first release was kind of on some bass music; deep and synthy offbeat stuff. Distributed worldwide by Rush Hour we're lucky to say it near sold out. We've just now added two upcoming geniuses to our roster (Munch Room and the unknown Ssaliva), each bringing forth rather minimal, feel-good as well as desolate soundpieces.”

Dynooo’s words definitely hit the nail on the head. Munch Room’s self titled mini album (SK004) is incredibly moving. Like a study of drawn out tones and processing it’s a beatless collection of sonic ideas. From the bit crushed, engine deep rumbles on ‘Toyota Dreams,’ woozy keyboard tones on ‘Hoop Girl’ to the awkward, juttering noise of ‘Cross Colours’ it all has an unweilding charm. Like a fuzzy un-hyped experiment, that actually has production value.

Meanwhile SK003 is a 22 track album project called Mercury Coast by the anonymous Ssaliva. Sharing an affinity to the early Bibio albums, where it was just endless torrents of guitar loops, Ssaliva’s work feels furiously DIY. The tone of the guitars is at times choked by the recording equipment, but the intent of the loops really grows out of that. You know how a lot of people (myself included) describe Actress’ music as sounding muffled and scuffed, as if your outside the club listening to the rhythms through the walls? It’s that same kind of thing here and tracks like ‘Laps,’ ‘School Rave,’ ‘Witchrack’ and ‘Red Sky & White Floor’ seem to shine out amongst the roughness, their droning voices amplified again by the space and static they employ.